What Is the Difference Between Information-security and Cyber-security?

While cyber-security encompasses protection of all types of data, hardware, and software, information-security focuses on protecting the information through confidentiality, integrity, and limiting availability.

There is an overlap. Diagram from CISO platform, “Understanding difference between Cyber Security & Information Security”

Information security, or info-sec is an increasingly common term. What is the difference between information security and cybersecurity and why should governments be talking about both? An article on CISO platform goes into detail on this distinction from the lense of banking institutions.

With regard to Maryland’s state and local governments, information security is a priority within the larger field of cyber protection.

As reported by Technically Baltimore, last month, an Executive Order issued by Governor Hogan last month seeks to advance the State’s cybersecurity with new initiative and a Chief Information Security Officer:

The executive order creates three new roles and entities within state government under the banner of the Maryland Cyber Defense Initiative:

  • The position of Maryland Chief Information Security Officer, to be assumed by John Evans
  • The Office of Security Management, which is located within the state’s Department of Information Technology
  • Maryland Cybersecurity Coordinating Council, comprised of state officials from multiple departments

For more information, see Gov. Hogan creates CISO position for State of Maryland.

The Maryland Association of County Information Technology Officers will host Maryland’s new Chair Information Security Officer John Evans at their MACo Summer Conference meeting. The meeting’s focus will be cybersecurity, and the group has invited the Maryland Association of Emergency Managers’ Emergency Communications Committee to join. The private meeting will be held on August 14th, before the opening of MACo’s Tech Expo.

This year’s Tech Expo Sessions open to all attendees include:

Held Hostage: Protecting Your Data from Cyberattacks

Description: Ransomware, a malicious malware of cryptovirology, threatens to publish secure and sensitive data or perpetually block access to computer systems unless a ransom is paid. Cyber threats are commonplace now, and governments – including counties – are prized prey for these cyber criminals. As elections, public safety, and healthcare systems employ more sophisticated technology, they become even more attractive targets – the more interconnected these systems are, the greater the potential fallout. In this session, state and county IT experts will share best practices in data protection and data handling, and share next steps in protecting vulnerabilities.

Speakers:

    • Michael G. Leahy, Secretary, Maryland Department of Information Technology
    • Kyle Bryans, Program Specialist, MS-ISAC Stakeholder Engagement Team, Center for Internet Security
    • Keith Young, Enterprise Information Security Official, Montgomery County
    • John Contestabile, Program Manager, Emergency Preparedness &Response Systems Johns Hopkins, Applied Physics Lab (inv)

Date/Time: Wednesday, August 14, 2019; 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Learn more about MACo’s Summer Conference: